MATHIEU Baudry is in a good place right now.

Popular among his team-mates, fresh from his first opening-day appearance in three seasons and evidently a favourite of Swindon Town manager Richie Wellens.

It is probably quite easy to allow complacency to creep into his game, then.

But the 31-year-old Le Havre-born centre-back takes pride in his work on the training ground, and admits being too hard on himself in the build-up to matchday might be one of his biggest weaknesses.

He made just five appearances in Milton Keynes Dons’ promotion-winning campaign in League Two last season because of injury.

And Baudry admits he can blame himself partly for his previous time on the sidelines.

Managing his workload this season has therefore been set as one of his priorities.

He said: “I’m not complacent, I’m quite hard on myself.

“I’ve had some injuries in the last few years, and I’ve got to be conscious of that. In the past, I’ve perhaps tried to do too much in training and it’s led to missing out.

“I’ve got to manage myself better, and hopefully that allows me to start every game. I’ve still got ambitions, I want to win promotion and I want to play higher.

“Complacency is something I won’t let creep into my game.”

An opening-day victory at Scunthorpe United last Saturday was hardly dampened by the less important midweek EFL Trophy loss to Chelsea U21s, a game which Baudry sat out due to a minor hamstring knock that will not rule him out against tomorrow’s home game against Carlisle United.

This weekend presents Wellens’ new-look squad with their first chance to earn league points in front of the County Ground faithful.

And Baudry wants SN1 to become a fortress amid his ambition to play at a higher level and achieve promotion from the fourth tier of English football for a second season running.

Having won only eight of their 23 home league fixtures last season, the former Bournemouth man knows improvement is required.

“The first impression is always important. One win last Saturday obviously doesn’t determine the season,” said Baudry.

“The first game at home would’ve had more pressure on it had we lost at Scunthorpe. But there will always be pressure when playing at home.

“I wasn’t feeling anxious, but I haven’t played in the first game of the season for three years because of injury.

“It was like a first day back at school, and I haven’t felt that level of expectation that comes with a first game for a long time.”